Georgia State to join the Sun Belt in 2013

New Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson’s first expansion effort has been a success, as Georgia State accepted an invitation to join the conference Monday.

“This is a strong declaration that the Sun Belt is committed to getting better,” Benson said. “The addition of Georgia State shows the Sun Belt is prepared to move forward and be a stronger player in the future.”

Georgia State becomes the 11th football playing member of the Sun Belt, and the conference’s first team in Georgia. “This just rounds out the footprint of the Sun Belt,” Benson said.

Benson took over the commissioner job last month after leaving the same position at the Western Athletic Conference. One of his goals is to get 12 football members so the Sun Belt can have a championship game.

“This is more than likely the first of other additions we hope to make in the next 90 to 120 days,” Benson said.

There was concern that the conference coming out of the planned merger of the Mountain West and Conference-USA would poach some teams from the Sun Belt, but that merger has stalled, and Benson has the Sun Belt in acquisition mode.